Hurdle of Confederate soldiers by negro troops.
We have the particulars of the atrocious murder of two Confederate soldiers by the
Yankee negro troops in
Middlesex county, Va., on the 12th inst. It appears that
Capt John Maxwell, whose name has become familiar in connection with the daring exploits of his command, which is detached from the navy on secret service, was at
Mill Creek, on the
Rappahannock, with eleven of his men, when a negro regiment, commanded by
Col. Draper, a white man, attempted to capture them, their locality having been betrayed by some person who was aware of their hiding place.
When the regiment surrounded the
Captain and his party, three of our into —
George Phillips, of
Elizabeth City;
John Collona, of the Eastern Shore; and
Scott, a private in the
Jeff Davis Legion — surrendered.
After these surrendered
Captain Maxwell attempted to cut his own way out with the remainder of his command.
After come desperate fighting he made his escape, having received a slight wound.
The rest of the party were captured.
The three first- named prisoners who surrendered were carried by the guard to a farm house about half a mile distant, and halted.
While they were stopping here —
Phillipe sitting on a fence and Collons standing by a gate — some other negro soldiers besides the guard came up, and after carsing them, deliberately murdered the two in cold blood, killing them before they could change the positions they were standing in.
Scott's fate is not certainly known, though it is believed that he was also killed.
The murder of the other two was witnessed by several persons who saw them slain without having made the slightest resistance which could give the negro devils an excuse for firing on them.
When the white
Colonel he what the prisoners had been killed for, and the negroes replied that the
Confederates and killed some of their men. This answer seemed perfectly satisfactory, and nothing more was said.
Among the captured of
Capt Maxwell's party was
Acting Master John G.
Burnley, whose fate has not been ascertained.
The facts of this murder are not based upon rumor.
They are from the sworn statements of persons who witnessed the deed.
The regiment was the 36th regiment U. S. colored troops,
Col. Draper commanding.
